


Snow day

by Dearieforever



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-16
Updated: 2018-04-16
Packaged: 2019-04-23 13:14:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14333202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dearieforever/pseuds/Dearieforever
Summary: This is a sequel to Darkdeariemoonfyre's Once Upon Belle's Dream Curse.  I recommend reading that first.





	Snow day

It had been about four months since Rumple and Belle had returned to the (formerly) Dark Castle. These days it resembled the castle as it had ended up looking in Belle's dream once the curse was broken- normally bright and beautiful. Over the winter “cozy” would have been a better word for it. Cheerful fires crackled in the fireplaces, and no matter how cold it was outside the castle was warm and pleasant. 

Winter should have passed, but it seemed it wanted to have one last roar for that year. Though Belle's pregnancy was showing now, the two had decided to have one more journey together before the baby was born. They'd planned on traveling once spring arrived. Now it appeared spring was canceled- or at least delayed. They woke up the morning they'd planned to leave to find a white disaster. Rumple could have transported them easily with his magic, but Belle told him not to worry about it.

“Rumple it's a nightmare out there! I don't think we should be going anywhere.” 

In over three centuries of life, Rumple had seen many terrible winters. He couldn't remember many blizzards worse than this though. Looking out the windows, it was hard to tell how much of the white wave billowing past was snow coming down and how much was snow being whipped up by the wind. No one without magic would have even thought of opening their door much less traveling.

“You know I could easily transport us somewhere it isn't snowing, Belle.”

She smiled at him, and went closer and kissed him.

“I know. And I do want to see more places, experience more things with you. Sometimes it's nice to stay home too though. Instead of a last trip with it being just the two of us, our next trip will be the first with three of us.”

Rumple rested his hand on Belle's growing belly, and couldn't think of a way he'd rather spend the day than curled up with her in front of a fire, reading and having tea and just talking. There was nothing better than just being near her, and he loved resting his hand over where their child was growing inside her. Finally, they could just enjoy the days leading up to being parents. Regina's mind control over Belle had no effect here. 

For so long, it had been nothing but fighting between the true loves. Rumple had thought he had done something wrong, even when Belle had rejected him at the well after his heart was so pure he could pull Excalibur from the stone. When Rumple had entered her dream to wake her after she'd put herself under a sleeping curse to freeze her pregnancy, he'd learned the truth. Thankfully he'd been able to undo the damage, and woken Belle up. 

They'd left Storybrooke after taking only few moments to magically pack. The only visitors they'd had sinse were Archie, who'd come to help Belle finish her mental healing, and Jefferson and his daughter Grace. Archie kept his practice in Storybrooke, but still visited, and the Hatters stopped by often between adventures. Today though, nothing would disturb Rumple and Belle.

They started the morning with making something hot for breakfast. Belle started to make a hot porridge, but Rumple stopped her.

“Sweetheart let me, please. You just relax.”

“Rumple I'm honestly fine. I know I'm showing but I'm not so far along that I can't do everything I've always done.”

“I know,” he told her and kissed her. “But I'd rather you not push yourself.” He smiled and teased her a bit. “Besides I'm a better cook than you are.”

Both of them laughed at that, knowing it was true. Belle had been raised as a lady in a castle full of servants. Rumple had grown up in poverty, never having anyone to look after him until he'd met the two spinsters. Then he'd had to raise Bae almost entirely on his own, and been alone after that. He'd had to rely on himself. 

“I used to wonder why you wanted a servant when you could have just snapped your fingers or waved a hand and had everything done. It wasn't that hard to figure out that you were lonely,” she told him. He kissed her, and stroked her face.

“I was. It took you to see past the mask I put up.”

“Now that I'm myself again, I won't ever let you be lonely again, Rumple.” She grinned. “And soon our baby will be helping you with that too.”

Over breakfast, their talk changed to the baby, how they would design the nursery, and talk of baby names. Seeing the future, Rumple had seen that the baby was a boy. They'd agreed they would decide on a name together, but no name seemed quite right that day. There was still time, and they enjoyed just talking and daydreaming about their baby. 

The wind and snow continued to howl outside, but Rumple and Belle spent a peaceful day in front of the fire, sharing tea and taking turns reading to each other. Rumple conjured a thick blanket for them and some pillows for Belle to lean back on. Hours passed in blissful peace until night fell. Rumple saw Belle start to close her eyes, but she asked him to keep reading. 

He did until he heard her snoring softly. He smiled at the sound. Some men might have been annoyed at it, but it was those little details, spending those little moments with her, that made her his wife. He shifted just enough to give some relief to his arm that had fallen asleep. He couldn't bear the thought of waking her up. Summoning another pillow, they spent the night that way, cuddled together there.

The next morning, the storm was over. Rumple woke first, softly kissed Belle, and watched her sleep until she opened her eyes about an hour later. She yawned and looked at him.

“Rumple you should have woke me up. Must have been boring for you laying there the whole time.”

He shook his head. “I could watch you forever and not get tired of it.”

She kissed him, and they went to the window together to look at the results of the storm.

“Look at everything sparkle Rumple! What do you say we take a walk out there?”

“A walk? Belle are you sure you want to go outside?”

“I'll be fine,” she reassured him. “Just look at how the sun came out. It's lighting up everything.” 

So they ventured out, and it was indeed beautiful. Everything seemed to glitter, and despite the heavy snow it wasn't as cold out as they would have expected. The two were able to enjoy the day, building a snow family, feeding the birds who's food supply was buried by the snow, and taking a walk through the frigid, magical world the storm had created. Rumple used his magic to clear a path for them, worried as always about Belle slipping or being chilled. She did finally coax him into a snowball fight, although she did tire a bit sooner than she'd expected. 

She let Rumple transport them back inside, and they warmed back up with some hot tea and soup before spending the rest of the day discussing the baby's room. Rumple magically applied one design after another until they had it looking perfect. They looked at their work, and Rumple put an arm around Belle.

“I'm so glad you suggested coming back here. This place truly is home.”

“You're my home,” Belle told him. “This is just somewhere we can be who we are.”

Rumple kissed her and held her, thinking how his life had turned around. The snow storm had passed, and he was sure with Belle with him, and soon their son, he could weather any storm life threw at him.


End file.
